Dewi Iriani’s Public Defense Examination

“The KPU as the Election Organizer must be able to implement the Election fairly and with integrity. Unfortunately, to realize an Election that is fair and with integrity has not been achieved.” (Dewi Iriani’s Dissertation)

[KALIURANG]; Saturday (10/08), at 13.00 WIB, Dewi Iriani’s Public Defense Examination for Doctoral Promotion was held by the Doctoral Study Program in Law with a dissertation entitled “LEGAL POLITICS OF TERM LIMITATION IN KPU COMMISSIONERS FOR REALIZING A FAIR AND INTEGRITY GENERAL ELECTION.”

The public defense examination was held in the Auditorium Room, 4th Floor, FH UII, chaired by the Dean of FH UII, Prof. Dr. Budi Agus Riswandi, S.H., M.Hum., with promoter Prof. Dr. Muhammad Fauzan, S.H., M.H., co-promoter Dr. Sri Hastuti Puspitasari, S.H., M.H., with examiners: Prof. Dr. Achmad Sodiki, S.H., who joined online via zoom meeting, Dr. Janedjri M. Gaffar, S.H., M.Si., Prof. Dr. Ni’matul Huda, S.H., M.Hum., Dr. Idul Rishan, S.H., LL.M.

Dewi Iriani raised the issue of the KPU Commissioner term length (5 years) who can be re-elected in the next period without considering the track record of the KPU commissioner. There are at least three problem formulations raised in her dissertation: 1). What is the Position of the Commissioners of the KPU in the State System in Indonesia; 2) What is the Role of the Commissioners of the KPU in Realizing a General Election that is Fair and has Integrity; 3) What is the Direction of the Legal Political Construction of the KPU Term Limitation in Realizing a General Election that is Fair and Has Integrity in the Future.

Dewi Iriani said that the KPU is a state institution that is in the second tier. Although it is in the second tier institution, the KPU RI has an important role in organizing the Election which includes the role of forming the Provincial KPU and Regency/City KPU, preparing the stages of the Election, making regulations, implementing orderly administration, and together with the Provincial KPU and Regency/City KPU carries out elections according to predetermined stages. Structurally, it shows that the Indonesian KPU can decentralize certain authorities, can decentralize certain authorities, and this can be seen in the implementation of Regional Head Elections (Pilkada) where the implementation of Pilkada is carried out by the KPUD in all regional governments, except for the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY).

Furthermore, Dewi Iriani explained that the length of the KPU Commissioner term of office is more than 2 (two) periods or more than 10 (ten) years of office, some even up to 4 (four) periods or 20 (twenty) years of office, without considering the track record of the KPU Commissioner will potentially cause abuse of power by the commissioner. In addition, the length of office of KPU commissioners also raises the potential for violations committed by KPU Commissioners in the form of: administrative violations, criminal violations of the Election, and violations of the code, especially the principles of independence and honesty as regulated in DKPP Decision Number 135-Pke-Dkpp/Xii/2023, DKPP Decision Number 317-PKE-DPP/X/2019, DKPP Decision Number 123-PKE-DKPP/X/2020, Bawaslu Decision No.05/LP/PP.PL/ADM/Prov/04.00/V/2019, Decision Number: 35-PKE-DKPP/II/2023 and DKKP Decision Number 125-PKE-DKPP/IV/2021.

The legal political construction of limiting the term of office of Commissioners to realize elections with fairness and integrity in the future, namely by revising Article 10 point 9 of Law no. 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections which by reconstructing it becomes: “the term of office of a KPU Commissioner is only valid for 5 (five) years and can be re-elected for only 1 (one) term at the same level in the same region, taking into account the track record of the KPU Commissioner.” She said firmly.

During the exam session, the promovenda was able to answer questions well and was able to defend the arguments in her dissertation. Promovenda, Dewi Iriani, S.H., M.H. is now officially the 174th doctoral graduated from the doctoral study program in law study, FH UII. Co Promoter, Dr. Sri Hastuti Puspitasari gave a message that a doctoral degree is indeed something to be proud of, but do not be too proud of because it can give birth to arrogance. The new doctoral degree gives birth to new responsibilities for society, academics, the nation and the state. The supervisory team is proud and grateful for the graduation of Dr. Dewi Iriani, S.H., M.H accompanied by a sense of emotion from Dr. Dewi Iriani, S, H., M.H. reflects a deep sense of gratitude for the process she went through during the preparation of the dissertation.